PM Tarique is reviving Ziaur Rahman’s revolutionary programmes: BNP’s Fakhrul

Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir says the revolutionary programmes of former president Ziaur Rahman have resumed under the leadership of Prime Minister Tarique Rahman.

He made the remark to reporters before paying tribute to Ziaur Rahman at his grave in Sher-e-Bangla Nagar on Saturday morning to mark his 45th death anniversary.

He said, “President Ziaur Rahman brought unprecedented changes to the country in one and a half years. Today, under his worthy successor, Tarique Rahman - our prime minister - we have revived those revolutionary programmes once again, we are working on reforms… Our Family Card, Farmer Card, and canal digging programme have already created a stir in Bangladesh.”

“Bangladesh, which was once called a bottomless basket, has become a country of prosperity. Today’s day is so important that we want to remember this day again and again. We want to remember it with great solemnity, love and great significance so that this day shows us the way forward.”

Mirza Fakhrul said, “Today is the death anniversary of martyred president Ziaur Rahman, the advocate of multi-party democracy in Bangladesh and the architect of modern Bangladesh. For almost 17 years during the long fascist regime, we could never celebrate this day properly. I still remember one day when we came here and many police leaders were injured.”

“From those circumstances, today we are going to celebrate this day in a free environment. We attach the utmost importance to this leader who declared the independence of Bangladesh. Later, when the people of Bangladesh and members of the Army gave him the responsibility of running the state, and when he was given the people’s mandate to take on the helm of the state, in just three and a half to four years, he brought about changes in Bangladesh… On the one hand, he made political reforms, such as the introduction of multi-party democracy… bringing the country from a single-party regime to a multi-party regime. On the other hand, he introduced a free market economy in the country… I think these were the first steps in the change of our Bangladesh. He brought about an unprecedented change in those three and a half years.”

Following the remarks, members of the BNP National Standing Committee led by party Chairman Tarique Rahman, paid tribute to Ziaur Rahman by placing wreaths at his grave.